New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-02-21
WHY Gagged BIRDS DIE SUDDENLY

The attention OF naturalss has been directed of late
to tuberculosis In birds On this subject DR.. Morton
Grinneli OF this city writes in Forest and Stream
concerning investig iions he has been making:
On December 70 lat received from Mr.. J. b. Bat.
telle OF Toledo ohio tle body OF a fine specimen OF a
male ruled grouse jonas.. umbeusj with the follow
ing history. Tho bird came TO him from Wisconsin
and had been In confinement SIX weeks and mn IN
within thirtysix hours of Its death it seemed in fair
health. Mr. Is. had three OF these birds confined ia
oe incosure four feet vide by twenty eight teet long
the COOP having been occupied two months previously
by some other birds He stated that had been dis
infected and the giound rakcd over that tho birds
were ted from q wooden trough, and watcred from n
tin vessel and that the pace kept clean as cir
cumstapces would permit. The tw o remaining birds
hens were at this time apparently perfectly we'll
Post norton examination showed the following con
dition bird we'll nourshed. weighing ightcen ounces
The organs showing acute disease the lower par
of the small intcstincs tho the liver and
probably the spleen, though the postmorten changes
were 80 advanced that 1t was difficult 10 determine
this The gut led together In this region by ,er
toneal adhesons which. however were readily strnneJ
apart From the outside could be seen numbers nj
velIowish points nOdules. which were hard and
resistant to pressure. Upon shifting tho gut the
nodues seemed to he located In the submucons coat
A very few scattered nOdules found beneath mo
peritoneal covering of the liver. Uudcr tho mio,o
scope these bodies proved to he tubercles with m.
characteristic chscsv broken down centre surrounded
by the giant, or aggregated white cells and in and
round these the colonies OF baoi. The dIagnnsi. =,
tuberculous peritonitis was made.
wrote TO Mr.. Battec. stating my diagnosis and
nttpl
and requested that they be sent to as soon a. os
sible after death. On December 80 received ~.
second bird, "a hen. She had likewise died ot,or "
twenty-four hours sickness E1aminatioo sbovoJ
the same appearances In general The thru bird
died on January with the same symptoms but IN
fortunately not sent to These three .pecimsn.
reprcsented a wide geographical distribution, Ths
cock came from Wisconsin the hens. one from Mich.
gan and IRON New YORK.
o The conclusions from these facts seem IN be ,ha.
some birds are susceptible to the ubercl. no;so
than Others These grouse had every attention gy.n
them but undoubtedly became infected from the soil
of their cages The raking up OF the pround n, o
hay. contributed TO this. Quai! appear TO he iess 10y
cepiib,e for they live and thrive la captivity when
the bygieno surroundings decidedly bad A, ,ha
same time think that further investigation will sbow
that the mortality among captive quail Is due min
oipolly TO this disease. TIE question wbstLdr 'i
Nocafd holds birds OF the barnyard become Injected
from tho sputum OF tuberculous patients or man tro
eating the flesh OF diseased birds Is stl ami rd,o.
II has been proved that tuberculosis has occnrr.d
from drinking the milk vi tubcrcuous cows II nou
be sug ested TINT the oors OF avares, whether OF SOIL
or sand. and the cage ITSELF as far rs practicable ha
Sisntected emi.weeky with Platts Chloride ~ 70
peras, or other disiniectant. his can readily
be done With small sprinkler. Tho subject /. Of 1rs:
interest and I'm portance.